China and Japan Discuss North Korea's Missile Program

With news that the U.S. President Barack Obama has pledged to stand with Japan to maintain the security of the Asia-Pacific area against North Korea aggression comes word that China has also agreed to stand with Japan to staunch the North Koreans.

Holy crap!

According to Japanese-language NHK media reports, Japan's Foreign Ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau chief, Sugiyama Shinsuke (surname first) met with China's special envoy for Korean Peninsula affairs, Wu Dawei, in Beijing, China this past Wednesday, February 20, 2013.

During the discussion both had concerns regarding North Korea's nuclear weapons program, and discussed what steps should be taken after North Korea's most recent (and third) nuclear missile test.

All I can say is - any dialogue Japan has with China regarding anything these days is a step in the proper direction after these two countries have been arguing vociferously over a bunch of islands each claims sovereignty over - the Senkaku Islands.

Of course, a day later on February 21, Japan President Abe Shinzo (surname first) commented at how China's nationalistic school system promotes an anti-Japanese sentiment as part of that country's social control.

One step forward, two steps back.

Perhaps Japan's President Abe should leave the diplomacy talk to the diplomats.

Cheers
Andrew Joseph